The present invention relates to a fabric cover marking device and method. In particular, the present invention relates to a device used for marking the locations of the female portions of male/female securing devices on a boat cover or the like and to a method for manufacturing a fabric cover for attachment to complementary male portions of such securing devices mounted on a structure to be covered.
Fabric boat covers, such as those typically used to cover the cockpit area of a sail boat or cabin cruiser, normally are fastened in place by such male/female securing devices as snap fasteners, lift-a-dot fasteners, and turnbuckles. In the case of snap fasteners, female snap sockets are mounted to the cover, typically by riveting, in selected locations to be engageable with corresponding male snap studs that are threaded into the boat structure around the periphery of the cockpit opening. In the case of lift-a-dot fasteners, female lift-a-dot holes are riveted to the cover in locations to be engageable with male lift-a-dot studs threaded into the boat structure. Finally, in the case of turnbuckles, female slot-shaped grommets are secured to the cover in locations to be engageable with the male turnbuckles threaded into the boat structure.
The conventional method of making such covers uses spring-loaded clamps to secure canvas or plastic material to the male fastener portions, the studs or turnbuckles. The areas around the clamps then are marked. Finally, the cover material is taken back to the upholsterer's shop, where female fastener portions, the snap sockets, lift-a-dot holes, or grommets, are secured to the material at the marked locations.
The step of marking the fabric with the locations of the female fastener portions is particularly time consuming, due mostly to the nature of the clamps used. The clamps typically used are quite heavy and unwieldy and often have to be resecured several times before the entire cover is clamped down. Moreover, the clamps frequently disengage from the studs or turnbuckles and fall off into the water, entailing further delay and occasional loss of the clamps, which are expensive to replace.
The present invention is intended to provide a fabric cover marking device that will reliably secure the fabric to the male fastener portions and facilitate the marking of the locations of the female fastener portions.
The present invention also is intended to provide a fabric cover marking device that is relatively inexpensive and that reduces the time needed to mark the locations of the female fastener portions.
In addition, the present invention is intended to provide an improved method of manufacturing a fabric cover to be attached to male fastener portions mounted on the structure to be covered.
Additional advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from that description or can be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention can be realized and obtained by the apparatus and method particularly pointed out in the appended claims.